2019 Acura ILX’s New Face Revealed in Patent Filings?

The Acura ILX will almost certainly enter 2019 wearing a new face. Images filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office reveal the Japanese brand’s entry-level luxury sedan is likely to receive a substantial facelift that brings its front-end design in line with Acura’s other sedan and crossover/SUV offerings.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The updated ILX looks to trade the beak nose of today’s car for a more aggressive mug that incorporates Acura’s new five-point grille design. Despite its reworked front end, the new ILX appears unchanged aft of the A-pillars, which means it won’t yet migrate to the recently redesigned Honda Civic’s platform. A next-generation model would presumably do so—if a next-generation model is actually in the cards, that is.

Likewise, we anticipate the ILX to maintain its 201-hp 2.4-liter inline-four and eight-speed automatic transmission. The affable powertrain proved powerful enough to push an ILX A-Spec we previously tested to 60 mph in a reasonable 6.6 seconds. While these patent images share nothing of the car’s interior, we’d wager the updated ILX will also feature refreshed innards, possibly with the touchpad-based infotainment system that debuted in the 2019 RDX crossover SUV.

Although the revised ILX looks to offer a more attractive appearance compared to the current car, we’re hesitant to believe the model’s updates will solve its inherent problems, notably its rather dull personality and tight rear-passenger space. Still, it’s nice to see Acura appears committed to offering an entry-level model with a sub-$30,000 base price.